Norse Creation Yggdrasill and the Nine World Odin and his brothers then used Ymir's body to create the universe. This universe comprises of nine worlds. They placed the body over the void called Ginnungagap. They used his flesh for creating the earth and his blood for the sea. His skull, held up by four dwarves (Nordri, Sudri, Austri, and Vestri), was used to create the heaven. Then using sparks from Muspelheim, the gods created the sun, moon and stars. While Ymir's eyebrows were used to create a place where the human race could live in; a place called Midgard (Middle Earth). A great ash tree called Yggdrasill ("World Tree") supported the universe, with roots that connects the nine worlds together. One root of Yggdrasill extends to Muspelheim ("world of fire"), while another root to Niflheim (the "world of cold" or "of ice"). Niflheim was sometimes confused with Niflhel; Niflhel being known by another name – Hel, was the world of the dead.

Hel was sometimes used interchangeably with Niflhel by many writers, as the world of the dead. The name, Yggdrasill, means "Steed of Ygg". Ygg is another for Odin, which means, "Terrible One". Therefore, the great tree means in English, "Steed of the Terrible One". Odin's horse is named Sleipnir, but I found no connection between the tree and Sleipnir. While one root was connected to Asgard (home of the Aesir ), another root to Vanaheim (home of the Vanir ). The frost giants lived Jötunheim (Jotunheim). Midgard was the world for human. Alfheim was home of the light elves (ljósálfar). There was also the underground world for the black elves (svartálfar), called Svartalfheim. The dwarves inhabited the world of Nidavellir. Besides the three roots of Yggdrasill, there were three wells. The Norns guarded the Urdarbrunnr, which is often known as "Weird's Well", "Wyrd's Well" or "Urda's Well".

The Weird's Well was considered to be very holy. The Norns were Urda or Weird or Wyrd ("Past"), Verdandi ("Present") and Skuld ("Future"). Two swans drink from this well. The Norns cared for the root near the Weird's Well. Every day, they take water from the holy well, pouring on the root and soil, so that at least this root doesn't rot or decay likes the other roots. The mud was white in colour. This white mud caused honeydew to fall to the earth, keeping the valley around the well to be forever green. Each day, the Aesir sit at the court at Weird's Well. Horses take the Aesir to this court. Odin rides Sleipnir. Ten other horses were given names: Glad, Gyllir, Glær, Skeidbrimir, Silfrtopp, Sinir, Gils, Falhofnir, Gulltopp (belonging to Heimdall) and Lettfet. Balder's horse was burned with him. Apart from Sleipnir and Gulltopp, no specific horses were assigned to a particular god.

The Aesir must ride across Bifrost (Rainbow Bridge) to reach Weird's Well. Thor doesn't bother to ride to attend the court. Thor walked and waded through the rivers, Kormat and Ormt and two Kerlaugs. The second well was Mímisbrunnr (Mimisbrunnr) or the "Well of Mimir", which was also known as the "Well of Knowledge". The well was said to be guarded by the Aesir god named Mimir , a Norse god of wisdom. See the Well of Knowledge in the Search for Wisdom on how Odin pay Mimir to drink from this well. The third well was called Hvergelmir or the "Roaring Kettle", where a giant serpent called Nidhogg , continuously gnaws at the root of Niflheim. Eventually, Nidhogg will eat its way through the root that will cause Yggdrasill to collapse. But this won't happen until Ragnarok finally arrived. Nidhogg also liked sucking on the bodies of the dead. There are many other animals that dwelled around Yggdrasill. Apart from Nidhogg, there were countless snakes living with the great serpent.

From above, four harts or stags feed on the foliage. The harts were given the names of Dain, Duneyr, Durathror and Dvalin. So with Nidhogg feed on one root from above, the stags feed from above, while the side of the tree rotted, Yggdrasill suffered greatly. Perched on one of the branches was a great eagle, wise beyond its years. A hawk, called Vedrfolnir sit between the eyes of the eagle. Not only that. There was a squirrel called Ratatosk who seemed to enjoy running up and down the great ash tree, delivering malicious messages between the eagle from above and Nidhogg below. See the article on Asgard for more description of Asgard, the home of the Aesir. War of Aesir and Vanir A war broke out between the Aesir and Vanir , when the Aesir had tortured the Vanir goddess, Gullveig . Gullveig loved gold. It was all she talked about. Gold, gold, GOLD! The Aesir were tiring of hearing her incessant chatter about gold.

They bound Gullveig in Odin's hall and pierced her with spears. Three times they burned Gullveig in a magical fire, but each time she was reborn. The Vanir demanded reparation from the Aesir for torturing their kind – they wanted equal status to their rival – instead of meet the Vanir's demand, the Aesir waged war against the more peaceful Vanir. The Vanir, however, were gaining the upper hand in the war. The warlike Aesir were suffering one defeat after another, before they agreed to end hostility and grant the Vanir, equal status. The peace was followed by strange ritual where the two sides spat in a vessel. From the combined saliva in the vessel created a new being – Kvasir was born. This was followed by hostage exchange, to ensure that peace was kept on both sides. The Vanir Njörd (Njord) and his son Freyr were the Aesir's hostages accompanied by Kvasir, the wisest Van. The Vanir received Hoenir (or Vili ) and Mimir (the wisest of the Aesir) as hostages.

At first the Vanir were happy with exchange and thought that Hoenir was as wise as Mimir, until they realised that Hoenir was not very smart at all. Mimir had been secretly giving Hoenir advice. The Vanir felt cheated. They had Mimir decapitated before returning the head to the Aesir. The Aesir did not retaliate in kind. Odin had the head preserved and used it to gain knowledge. (See Head of Mimir and the Mead of Poetry , in the Search for Wisdom page.) The Vanir, Njörd and his son and daughter, Freyr and Freyja , were greatly honoured by the Aesir, by giving them places among them as Aesir. However, the mother of Freyr and Freyja was Njörd's own sister (who was unnamed). Incest and marriage between siblings were allowed in Vanheim, but not so in Asgard. So when Njörd went to Asgard with his children, he had to give up his sister-wife.

Njörd would return home to Vanaheim when the Aesir gods fight the frost-giants at Ragnarok, according to the short passage in Vafthrudnismal (Lay of Vafthrudnir). Construction of Asgard The giant named Hrimthurs built the walls around Asgard. Hrimthurs had disguised himself as a man. The giant claimed he could build walls around Asgard within a single winter; if the gods give him the sun (Sol) and moon (Mani) as payment if he complete the walls in time, as well as Freyja as his wife. Loki believing that the giant could never finish fortifying Asgard in one winter, so he persuaded the gods to accept the wager. The reason why Hrimthurs could build the walls so quickly was that he has a gigantic, magical horse called, Svadilfari. This mighty horse helped Hrimthurs move large block of rock. Few days before winter was over, Hrimthurs had almost completed the entire wall. The gods realised that they would likely lose the wager, threatened to punish Loki for making them accept the wagers in the first place.

So they forced to Loki to ruin Hrimthurs' bet. Loki disguised himself, by transforming into a beautiful mare, so he could distract Svadilfari. Hrimthurs lost control over Svadilfari, when the giant stallion began to pursue the mare (Loki). Without Svadilfari, Hrimthurs could not complete the walls in time. Hrimthurs was raging over losing the wager, threatened to destroy the Asgard and the gods. During his rage, Hrimthurs lost his disguise, revealing to the Aesir that he was truly a giant, not a human. Thor killed Hrimthurs with his mighty hammer. Some months later, Loki brought back to Asgard, an eight-legged colt, named Sleipnir, offspring of Svadilfari and Loki (mare). Sleipnir was the magical steed of Odin . Sleipnir had sired many famous horses; among them was Grani, the horse of the hero Sigurd . Of Valhalla, the Icelandic Snorri Sturluson gives us the most vivid detail in his Prose Edda.

Valhalla, or "Hall of the Heroes", was the best-known hall in Asgard, which was another residency belonging to Odin, or Val-father ("Father of the Slain") as he was known in this hall. It was where the dead warriors, known as Einherjar (Einheriar), resided in a hall, and wait for the arrival of Ragnarök . The Einherjar would fight alongside the Aesir at Ragnarok. When the bravest warriors were killed in battle or combat, they were brought to Valhalla by group of women warriors known as the Valkyries , which was translated as "Chooser of the Slain", and they were known as "Battle-maidens" and "Shield-maidens". The Valkyries were sometimes were known as "Swan-Maidens", because their garments were made of swan feathers, which allowed them to fly. The Valkyries served Odin, by going through battlefield, choosing slain warriors who would be suited to fight in Ragnarök (Ragnarok) and therefore they have a place in Valhalla.

While the Valkyries are in Valhalla, they were known as Mead-Maidens, because they responsible for serving mead to Odin and the Einherjar along the long tables at Valhalla. The mead come from the goat Heidrun that feed from the foliage of branches of tree, called Lerad. Each day, the goat's udder would fill the vat with mead. Andhrimnir, the cook of Valhalla, prepared the meal for the Einherjar. Andhrimnir cooked the wild boar, called Sæhrimnir, in a great cooking pot, Eldhrimnir. The meat of Sæhrimnir always rejuvenated the warriors at night. Each day Sæhrimnir was cooked before it was served, but by morning of the next day, the wild boar was whole, to be cooked again. Odin usually dined with his warriors, but he never eats any meat placed before him. Odin would give his meat to the two wolves, Geri and Freki, that rest at his feet. Odin only drank wine with the dead warriors.

Snorri explained that while the Einherjar wait for Ragnarok, they fought each other in a sort of mock battle during the day, but at night they enjoy a great feast, before resting in their bed. In the morning, the Einherjar woke to the crowing of a cock called Salgofnir, which was perched on the rooftop of Valhalla. Snorri wrote that Valhalla had overlapping shields for a roof, held up by the spear-shafts as rafters. There were 540 doors. And from each of the door, eight hundred warriors could enter or leave the hall. Instead of torch-fires, the light in the great hall were litted by the glowing blades of swords. Mail shirts were strewn on the benches. In front of the western doors, there hanged a wolf. Hovering above Valhalla was a single eagle. There was also a tree standing in front of the doors of Valhalla; the tree was called Glasir, because of the red-gold foliage.

Another hall that the fallen warriors resided in was called Vingolf, which means either "wine-hall" or "friend-hall", but this may be the hall for righteous men to live, and not just for the Einherjar. Another name for Vingolf is Gimle, and it was a Norse version of the Elysian Fields or the Blessed Isle. Snorri said Vingolf or Gimle was the fairest of place, located on the southernmost end of heaven. Snorri also mentioned other heavens. Also to the south, but above Vingolf was Andlang. The third heaven, called Vidblain, was above the two previous heavens. Only half of the slain warriors (Einherjar) in battle were given to Odin. Freyja had the honour of receiving the other half, where the Einherjar resided with her in Folkvang ("Field of Folk"), her hall within her palace Fólkvangar (Folkvangar). The other hall she resided in was called Sessrumnir. The handmaiden named Fulla attended Freyja (most writers say that Fulla was Frigg's attendant). Midgard Midgard was the home of the human race.

It was also called Manheim, Mannheim or Manna-heim (the home of mankind). After the three gods, Odin, Hœnir (Vili) and Lodur (Ve), created Midgard, they started to create the human race, from the tree trunks that they came upon at the beach. From these timbers, they made the first man and first woman: Askr and Embla. Each god gave them a gift: Odin gave them breath; Hœnir gave them understanding and spirit; and Lodur senses and outward appearance. According to the Rigsthula (the List of Rig), in the Poetic Edda, Heimdall or Rig was the creator of the human society. Heimdall divided mankind into three social classes. Heimdall enjoy the hospitality of three old couples in three different houses. Each couple were old and were already great-grandparents. Heimdall secretly slept with the wife of each house. Each wife gave birth to a son. Rig spends three nights with the first couple. Rig slept with the great grandmother, who had a child who was called Thrall, the labourer, who formed the lowest social class.

When Thrall had grown into a strong young man, he met and later married a woman named Slavegirl, and they became ancestor of all the thralls or slaves. The next couple Rig met, he slept with great grandmother, who had bore him another son, named Farmer. Farmer had also grown into a strong, young man, who would later married a woman and have many children. Farmer had many descendants who became farmers like him. The last couple Rig had visited, he again slept with this great grandmother, who also bore him a son who was named Lord. Lord married Erna, daughter of Chieftain, and they became ancestors of the noble class, the highest of the Norse social class. Ask and Embla - Norse Mythology for Smart People Norse Mythology for Smart People Ask and Embla “Ask and Embla” by Robert Engels (1919) Ask ( Old Norse Askr, “Ash Tree”) and Embla (Old Norse Embla, “Water Pot”[1]) are the first two humans (male and female respectively) in Norse mythology.

After the Aesir gods created the cosmos , they fashioned Ask and Embla from two tree trunks that had washed up onto the beach of the landmass the gods had recently raised out of the primordial waters. The gods, in this case led by Odin , endowed these newly-enlivened beings with önd (“breath/spirit”), óðr (“ecstasy/inspiration”), and lá (an otherwise unattested Old Norse word; no one really knows what lá means, but most scholarly suggestions have something to do with vital processes and health). Ask and Embla were then given Midgard , the world of human civilization, for their dwelling-place. They became the father and mother of the entire human species.[2] As sparse as this tale is, it’s bristling with meaning. We’ll look at two of these shades of meaning below. Ask and Embla as Gender Archetypes One of our two main sources for the narrative of Ask and Embla’s origin is the Völuspá (“The Insight of the Seeress”), one of the poems in the Poetic Edda .

The stanza that follows the account of Ask and Embla reads, in English translation: There stands an ash called Yggdrasil, A mighty tree showered in white hail. From there come the dews that fall in the valleys. It stands evergreen above Urd’s Well.[3] In the original Old Norse text, the first word of this stanza is “Askr.” As Henning Kure has pointed out, someone hearing this poem for the first time would have immediately assumed that “Askr” referred to the human male of the preceding verses until it became clear that this “Askr” is the ash tree Yggdrasil , the central pillar of the cosmos that holds the Nine Worlds in its branches and roots.[4] Yggdrasil rises above the Well of Urd , a body of water whose depths hold several mysterious powers. Among these are the Norns , “three exceedingly wise maidens” who have more sway over the course of destiny than any other beings, and the runes , immense cosmological forces that are symbolized by the shapes of the earliest Germanic alphabets.

The waters of the Well of Urd nourish Yggdrasil, and dews drip from the tree’s leaves back into the well, replenishing it. In addition to being a model of the cyclical unfolding of time , the tree and the well provide an image of what historians of religion call a “hierogamy” or divine marriage between a sky god and an earth goddess, a conception common to all of the Indo-European peoples – including, of course, the Norse and other Germanic peoples. The rain (or, in this case, dewdrops from a tree whose crown reaches high enough to be compared to a snow-capped peak) is analogous to semen, and the earth (or, in this case, the well) is analogous to the womb. From the union of earth and sky come fertility and new life, something which we observe in the physical world – literally or metaphorically – every time it rains. This sexual symbolism works on what one might call a visual level as well. The upright trunk of the ash tree is quintessentially phallic, and the concave basin of the well is quintessentially vaginal.

By calling the first man Askr (“Ash Tree”) and the first woman Embla (“Water Pot”), and by linking this first human couple to the image of the tree and the well in the structure of their mythic poetry, the heathen Norse were showing masculinity and femininity to be complimentary, intertwined, and reciprocal cosmological principles, both of which are just as essential to the promotion of life and well-being as the other. One need only peruse the first few chapters of Genesis to see how favorably this model of the relation between the two sexes compares to that envisioned by the monotheistic religions whose ideology dominates the modern world. Humanity’s Place in the More-than-Human World We have records of several different versions of the pre-Christian mythology of the Norse and other Germanic peoples. Some of these variants present what, at first glance, are contradictory accounts of the origins of humanity. In several places, humans are described as descending from gods.[5][6][7] In another instance, humanity (or at least a particular tribe) comes from a certain grove of trees.[8] However, when viewed more closely, these accounts, including the tale of the creation of Ask and Embla, all ultimately convey the same idea.

Stating that humankind comes from trees, whether on a beach or in a grove, and stating that we come from gods are, in a traditional Germanic perspective, different ways of saying the same thing. As the Roman historian Tacitus wrote of the Germanic tribes of the first century CE, “Their holy places are the woods and groves, and they apply the names of deities to that hidden presence which is seen only by the eye of reverence.”[9] In this view, gods and goddesses aren’t distinct from the world, as they are in monotheistic religions. Rather, they’re the invisible animating forces that lurk behind and within the visible world – trees and forests very much included. Even in the late Viking Age narrative of Ask and Embla, the visible world had earlier been shaped from the corpse of the slain giant Ymir . All life, including trees and by extension humanity, is descended from this divine figure. Just as there isn’t any sharp line that divides deities from the world that manifests them, there’s no sharp line between humans and the rest of the world. “Nature,” a part of the world from which humanity is by definition excluded, is a concept foreign to the indigenous Germanic worldview.

All species are unique in some way, of course, but there’s nothing that sets humanity apart as being uniquely unique. Humanity is as much a part of the normal order of the more-than-human world as are trees. Our origins lie in this greater realm, our lives are lived entirely within it, and we remain within it when we die . We’re not strangers in an alien “vale of tears;” the more-than-human world is our home. Looking for more great information on Norse mythology and religion? While this site provides the ultimate online introduction to the topic, my book The Viking Spirit provides the ultimate introduction to Norse mythology and religion period. I’ve also written a popular list of The 10 Best Norse Mythology Books , which you’ll probably find helpful in your pursuit. References: [1] The etymology and meaning of Embla’s name are notoriously controversial. I accept the arguments in favor of “Water Pot” put forth by Karl G. Johansson and Henning Kure, as discussed in: Hultgård, Anders. 2006. The Askr and Embla Myth in a Comparative Perspective. In Old Norse Religion in Long-Term Perspectives: Origins, Changes and Interactions.

Edited by Anders Andrén, Kristina Jennbert, and Catharina Raudvere. p. 59-60. [2] This is a summary and harmonization of the two (somewhat confused and contradictory) accounts of this tale in Old Norse literature: The Poetic Edda. Völuspá, stanzas 17-18. Snorri Sturluson. The Prose Edda. Gylfaginning 9. [3] The Poetic Edda. Völuspá, stanza 19. My translation. The original Old Norse text reads: Ask veit ek standa, Norse Gods Norse Gods Norse Mythology: List of Gods and Goddesses Aesir: Chief gods of Asgard. Andvari: Dwarf; robbed of gold and magic ring by Loki. Angerbotha (Angrbotha): Giantess; mother by Loki of Fenrir, Hel, and Midgard serpent. Asgard (Asgarth): Abode of gods. Ask (Aske, Askr): First man; created by Odin, Hoenir, and Lothur. Asynjur: Goddesses of Asgard.

Atli: Second husband of Gudrun; invited Gunnar and Hogni to his court, where they were slain; slain by Gudrun. Audhumia (Audhumbla): Cow that nourished Ymir; created Buri by licking ice cliff. Balder (Baldr, Baldur): God of light, spring, peace, joy; son of Odin; slain by Hoth at instigation of Loki. Bifrost: Rainbow bridge connecting Midgard and Asgard. Bragi (Brage): God of poetry; husband of Ithunn. Branstock: Great oak in hall of Volsungs; into it, Odin thrust Gram, which only Sigmund could draw forth. Brynhild: wakened from magic sleep by Sigurd; married Gunnar; instigated death of Sigurd; killed herself and was burned on pyre beside Sigurd. Bur (Bor): Son of Buri; father of Odin, Hoenir, and Lothur. Buri (Bori): Progenitor of gods; father of Bur; created by Audhumla. Embla: First woman; created by Odin, Hoenir, and Lothur.

Fafnir: Son of Rodmar, whom he slew for gold in Otter's skin; in form of dragon, guarded gold; slain by Sigurd. Fenrir: Wolf; offspring of Loki; swallows Odin at Ragnarok and is slain by Vitharr. Forseti: Son of Balder. Frey (Freyr): God of fertility and crops; son of Njorth; originally one of Vanir. Freya (Freyja): Goddess of love and beauty; sister of Frey; originally one of Vanir. Frigg (Frigga): Goddess of sky; wife of Odin. Garm: Watchdog of Hel; slays, and is slain by, Tyr at Ragnarok. Gimle: Home of blessed after Ragnarok. Giuki: King of Nibelungs; father of Gunnar, Hogni, Guttorm, and Gudrun. Glathsehim (Gladsheim): Hall of gods in Asgard. Gram (meaning ï¿½Angryï¿½): Sigmund's sword; rewelded by Regin; used by Sigurd to slay Fafnir.

Greyfell: Sigmund's horse; descended from Sleipnir. Grimhild: Mother of Gudrun; administered magic potion to Sigurd which made him forget Brynhild. Gudrun: Daughter of Giuki; wife of Sigurd; later wife of Atli and Jonakr. Gunnar: Son of Giuki; in his semblance Sigurd won Brynhild for him; slain at hall of Atli. Guttorm: Son of Giuki; slew Sigurd at Brynhild's request. Heimdall (Heimdallr): Guardian of Asgard. Hel: Goddess of dead and queen of underworld; daughter of Loki. Hiordis: Wife of Sigmund; mother of Sigurd. Hoenir: One of creators of Ask and Embla; son of Bur. Hogni: Son of Giuki; slain at hall of Atli. Hoth (Hoder, Hodur): Blind god of night and darkness; slayer of Balder at instigation of Loki. Ithunn (Ithun, Iduna): Keeper of golden apples of youth; wife of Bragi. Jonakr: Third husband of Gudrun.

Jormunrek: Slayer of Swanhild; slain by sons of Gudrun. Jotunnheim (Jotunheim): Abode of giants. Lif and Lifthrasir: First man and woman after Ragnarok. Loki: God of evil and mischief; instigator of Balder's death. Lothur (Lodur): One of creators of Ask and Embla. Midgard (Midgarth): Abode of mankind; the earth. Midgard Serpent: Sea monster; offspring of Loki; slays, and is slain by, Thor at Ragnarok. Mimir: Giant; guardian of well in Jotunnheim at root of Yggdrasill; knower of past and future. Mjollnir: Magic hammer of Thor. Nagifar: Ship to be used by giants in attacking Asgard at Ragnarok; built from nails of dead men. Nanna: Wife of Balder. Nibelungs: Dwellers in northern kingdom ruled by Giuki. Niflheim (Nifelheim): Outer region of cold and darkness; abode of Hel. Njorth: Father of Frey and Freya; originally one of Vanir.

Norns: Demigoddesses of fate: Urth (Urdur) (past), Verthandi (Verdandi) (present), Skuld (future). Odin (Othin): Head of Aesir; creator of world with Vili and Ve; equivalent to Woden (Wodan, Wotan) in Teutonic mythology. Otter: Son of Rodmar; slain by Loki; his skin filled with gold hoard of Andvari to appease Rodmar. Ragnarok: Final destruction of present world in battle between gods and giants; some minor gods will survive, and Lif and Lifthrasir will repeople world. Regin: Blacksmith; son of Rodmar; foster-father of Sigurd. Rerir: King of Huns; son of Sigi. Rodmar: Father of Regin, Otter, and Fafnir; demanded Otter's skin be filled with gold; slain by Fafnir, who stole gold. Sif: Wife of Thor.

Siggeir: King of Goths; husband of Signy; he and his sons slew Volsung and his sons, except Sigmund; slain by Sigmund and Sinflotli. Sigi: King of Huns; son of Odin. Sigmund: Son of Volsung; brother of Signy, who bore him Sinflotli; husband of Hiordis, who bore him Sigurd. Signy: Daughter of Volsung; sister of Sigmund; wife of Siggeir; mother by Sigmund of Sinflotli. Sigurd: Son of Sigmund and Hiordis; wakened Brynhild from magic sleep; married Gudrun; slain by Guttorm at instigation of Brynhild. Sigyn: Wife of Loki. Sinflotli: Son of Sigmund and Signy. Skuld: One of several Norns. Sleipnir (Sleipner): Eight-legged horse of Odin. Surt (Surtr): Fire demon; slays Frey at Ragnarok. Svartalfaheim: Abode of dwarfs.

Swanhild: Daughter of Sigurd and Gudrun; slain by Jormunrek. Thor: God of thunder; oldest son of Odin; equivalent to Germanic deity Donar. Tyr: God of war; son of Odin; equivalent to Tiu in Teutonic mythology. Ull (Ullr): Son of Sif; stepson of Thor. Urth: One of several Norns. Valhalla (Valhall): Great hall in Asgard where Odin received souls of heroes killed in battle. Vali: Odin's son: Ragnarok survivor. Valkyries: Virgins, messengers of Odin, who selected heroes to die in battle and took them to Valhalla; generally considered as nine in number. Vanir: Early race of gods; three survivors, Njorth, Frey, and Freya, are associated with Aesir. Ve: Brother of Odin; one of creators of world. Verthandi: One of several Norns. Vili: Brother of Odin; one of creators of world. Vingolf: Abode of goddesses in Asgard. Vitharr (Vithar): Son of Odin; survivor of Ragnarok.

Volsung: Descendant of Odin, and father of Signy, Sigmund; his descendants were called Volsungs. Yggdrasill: Giant ash tree springing from body of Ymir and supporting universe; its roots extended to Asgard, Jotunnheim, and Niffheim. Ymir (Ymer): Primeval frost giant killed by Odin, Vili, and Ve; world created from his body; also, from his body sprang Yggdrasill. Creation of the World in Norse Mythology Creation of the World in Norse Mythology Creation of the World in Norse Mythology Thor - Norse thunder god Thor with Mjolnir. Clipart.com Updated August 18, 2016. Creation of the World In Norse mythology there are 9 worlds that are divided among three levels all held together by the world tree, Ygdrasil. But the nine worlds and Ygdrasil were not there in the beginning.

Upper level Asgard (Aesir, the land of the gods), Alfheim (elves), Muspelheim (fire, a bright, flaming, hot world in the southern region), and Niflheim (the dead, the lowest level) World of Fire and Ice Originally there was a chasm, Ginnungagap, bounded on either side by fire (from the world known as Muspelheim) and ice (from the world known as Niflheim). When fire and ice met, they combined to form a giant, named Ymir, and a cow, named Audhumbla (Auðhumla), who nourished Ymir. She survived by licking the salty ice blocks. From her licking emerged Bur (Búri), the grandfather of the Aesir. Ymir, father of the frost giants, employed equally unusual procreative techniques. continue reading below our video Norse Gods and Goddesses He sweated a male and a female from under his left arm. Odin Kills Ymir Odin, the son of Bur's son Borr, killed Ymir. The blood pouring out of the giant's body killed all the frost giants Ymir had created, except Bergelmir.

From Ymir's dead body, Odin created the world. Ymir's blood was the sea; his flesh, the earth; his skull, the sky; his bones, the mountains; his hair, the trees. The new Ymir-based world was Midgard. Ymir's eyebrow was used to fence in the area where mankind would live. Around Midgard was an ocean where a serpent named Jormungand lived. He was big enough to form a ring around Midgard by putting his tail in his mouth. Ygdrasil From Ymir's body grew an ash tree named Yggdrasil whose branches covered the known world and supported the universe. Ygdrasil had three roots going to each of the 3 levels of the world. Three springs supplied it with water. One root went into Asgard, the home of the gods, another went into the land of the giants, Jotunheim, and a third went to that primeval world of ice, darkness, and the dead, known as Niflheim. In Jotunheim's spring, Mimir, lay wisdom.

In Niflheim, the spring nourished the adder Nidhogge (darkness) who gnawed at the roots of Ygdrasil. The Three Norns The spring by the Asgard root was cared for by the 3 Norns, goddesses of fate: Urdur (the past) The Norse Creation Myth The Norse Creation Myth abstracted from The Prose Edda of Snorri Sturluson by © 1997-2010 Muspell The first world to exist was Muspell, a place of light and heat whose flames are so hot that those who are not native to that land cannot endure it. Surt sits at Muspell's border, guarding the land with a flaming sword. At the end of the world he will vanquish all the gods and burn the whole world with fire. Ginnungagap and Niflheim Beyond Muspell lay the great and yawning void named Ginnungagap, and beyond Ginnungagap lay the dark, cold realm of Niflheim.

Ice, frost, wind, rain and heavy cold emanated from Niflheim, meeting in Ginnungagap the soft air, heat, light, and soft air from Muspell. Ymir Where heat and cold met appeared thawing drops, and this running fluid grew into a giant frost ogre named Ymir. Frost ogres Ymir slept, falling into a sweat. Under his left arm there grew a man and a woman. And one of his legs begot a son with the other. This was the beginning of the frost ogres. Audhumla Thawing frost then became a cow called Audhumla. Four rivers of milk ran from her teats, and she fed Ymir. Buri, Bor, and Bestla The cow licked salty ice blocks. After one day of licking, she freed a man's hair from the ice. After two days, his head appeared. On the third day the whole man was there. His name was Buri, and he was tall, strong, and handsome. Buri begot a son named Bor, and Bor married Bestla, the daughter of a giant.

Odin, Vili, and Vé Bor and Bestla had three sons: Odin was the first, Vili the second, and Vé the third. It is believed that Odin, in association with his brothers, is the ruler of heaven and earth. He is the greatest and most famous of all men. The death of Ymir Odin, Vili, and Vé killed the giant Ymir. When Ymir fell, there issued from his wounds such a flood of blood, that all the frost ogres were drowned, except for the giant Bergelmir who escaped with his wife by climbing onto a lur [a hollowed-out tree trunk that could serve either as a boat or a coffin]. From them spring the families of frost ogres. Earth, trees, and mountains The sons of Bor then carried Ymir to the middle of Ginnungagap and made the world from him. From his blood they made the sea and the lakes; from his flesh the earth; from his hair the trees; and from his bones the mountains. They made rocks and pebbles from his teeth and jaws and those bones that were broken. Dwarfs Maggots appeared in Ymir's flesh and came to life.

By the decree of the gods they acquired human understanding and the appearance of men, although they lived in the earth and in rocks. Sky, clouds, and stars From Ymir's skull the sons of Bor made the sky and set it over the earth with its four sides. Under each corner they put a dwarf, whose names are East, West, North, and South. The sons of Bor flung Ymir's brains into the air, and they became the clouds. Then they took the sparks and burning embers that were flying about after they had been blown out of Muspell, and placed them in the midst of Ginnungagap to give light to heaven above and earth beneath. To the stars they gave appointed places and paths. The earth was surrounded by a deep sea. The sons of Bor gave lands near the sea to the families of giants for their settlements. Midgard To protect themselves from the hostile giants, the sons of Bor built for themselves an inland stonghold, using Ymir's eyebrows. This stonghold they named Midgard. Ask and Embla While walking along the sea shore the sons of Bor found two trees, and from them they created a man and a woman. Odin gave the man and the woman spirit and life.

Vili gave them understanding and the power of movement. Vé gave them clothing and names. The man was named Ask [Ash] and the woman Embla [Elm?]. From Ask and Embla have sprung the races of men who lived in Midgard. Asgard In the middle of the world the sons of Bor built for themselves a stronghold named Asgard, called Troy by later generations. The gods and their kindred lived in Asgard, and many memorable events have happened there. In Asgard was a great hall named Hlidskjálf. Odin sat there on a high seat. From there he could look out over the whole world and see what everyone was doing. He understood everything that he saw. Odin, Frigg, and the Æsir Odin married Frigg, the daughter of Fjörgvin. From this family has come all the kindred that inhabited ancient Asgard and those kingdoms that belonged to it. Members of this family are called the Æsir, and they are all divinities. This must be the reason why Odin is called All-Father. He is the father of all the gods and men and of everything that he and his power created.

Thor The earth was Odin's daughter and his wife as well. By her he had his first son, Thor. Might and strength were Thor's characteristics. By these he dominates every living creature. Bifröst As all informed people know, the gods built a bridge from earth to heaven called Bifröst. Some call it the rainbow. It has three colors and is very strong, made with more skill and cunning than other structures. But strong as it is, it will break when the sons of Muspell ride out over it. The gods are not to blame that this structure will then break. Bifröst is a good bridge, but there is nothing in this world that can be relied on when the sons of Muspell are on the warpath. Yggdrasil The chief sanctuary of the gods is by the ash tree Yggdrasil. There they hold their daily court. Yggdrasil is the best and greatest of all trees. Its branches spread out over the whole world and reach up over heaven.

Link to the full text of The Prose Edda: Snorri Sturluson, The Prose Edda , translated from the Icelandic by Arthur Gilchrist Brodeur (New York: American-Scandinavian Foundation, 1916). In this translation the creation story, as abstracted above, is found on pages 17-30 . Return to D. L. Ashliman's folktexts , a library of folktales, folklore, fairy tales, and mythology. Revised February 17, 2010.

Question: In Norse mythology, from what type of tree was man first created?
Answer: Ash